270 



Farming of Cumberland. 



service with great punctuality for many years, as well as hastening 

 home from other work every day, to be present whilst an unruly 

 bull was let out to water. 



There is an old saying, and one not devoid of truth, that " the 

 laziest shepherd invariably has the best dog ;" but necessity is as 

 powerful an agent in this case as indolence, for no shepherd can 

 have better-trained dogs than the one at Stockhow Hall, who has 

 numbered four-score years, and whose daily range few young 

 men would willingly undertake. Another old man, a rheumatic 

 cripple,* almost unable to walk, and mounted on an ass from 

 morning till night, has the sole care of a large stock farm ; and, 

 with the aid of his two dogs, can ride into the flock in any part 

 of the fields, and lift a sheep before him on the ass and ride away 

 with it. 



Pigs 



Have been brought as near to the standard of perfection in this 

 county as any race of domestic animals, and the improved white 

 breed has been successful in the national shows. The large and 

 coarse animal, with broad hanging ears, so common forty years 

 ago, is now in few hands, though it is found still useful in im- 

 proving the size of and imparting constitution and hair to the 

 smaller breeds. 



The usual system of fattening pigs, on a liberal allowance of 

 oatmeal paste, gives a firmness to the pork, and a solidity and 

 fine flavour to the hams and bacon, when dried, which cannot be 

 easily excelled. Barley-flour and other substitutes are occa- 

 sionally used with success in feeding, but some of them cause 

 the fat to be soft, even when well fed and long dried. 



Poultry. 



The poultry are as various in breeds and crosses as can well be 

 conceived. From the rising interest attaching to them, through 

 the prizes offered at the different shows, and the endeavours of 

 several amateurs, the pure breeds are becoming more prevalent. 

 Some geese are reared at the edges of the mountains and on 

 moory pastures, and many are imported from Ireland in the 

 autumn to feed on the stubbles. Few turkeys are bred or kept 

 in the county. 



Till of late years, a few hundred acres of the sandy ground 

 along the whole extent of sea-coast were devoted to warrens for 

 rabbits. These are now chiefly cultivated, and rabbits are rarely 

 found, except a few in some of the game-preserves. 



and, while drinking, would sit on a particular stone within a yard of the bull's 

 head till he had enough ; and if the bull lifted his head from the water, done or 

 not, he must go home. 



* Shepherd for Mr. Johnstone, of Dean. 



